Power Converter Device

ABSTRACT

An electric power converting apparatus includes a switching circuit, a PWM controller, conducting PWM all phase shut-off and zero-vector outputting, a unit configured to detect or estimate current flowing through a motor, a unit configured to conduct a DC braking, and a current comparator configured to compare between a DC braking time maximum current setup value, and a current value obtained by the unit configured to detect or estimate current. The PWM all phase shut-off and zero-vector outputting are conducted, repetitively, by the PWM controller, if the current comparator determines that a current value, which is obtained by the unit configured to detect or estimate current, exceeds the DC braking time maximum current setup value, when conducting the DC braking to obtain a braking power by running current through the motor.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.12/938,494, filed Nov. 3, 2010, the contents of which are incorporatedherein by reference.

This application relates to and claims priority from Japanese PatentApplication No. 2009-252573 filed on Nov. 4, 2009, the entire disclosureof which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a power converter device.

Conventionally, when stopping rotation of a permanent magnet synchronousmotor, it is common to stop power supply thereto, simply, and therebystopping it naturally, with using an axial load and air resistancethereof.

When there is necessity of stopping the permanent magnet synchronousmotor, abruptly, it is decelerated for a predetermined time or down to apredetermined ration speed, through regenerative braking, and thereafterit is stopped naturally.

Or, there is already known a method, so-called a direction currentbraking (or DC braking) of turning ON, either one (1) phase or two (2)phases on a positive (+) electrode side(s) of a switching circuit, witha negative side of other phase, continuously, so as to run directcurrent through that motor, thereby achieving the braking thereof.

As is disclosed in the following Patent Document 1, there is alsoalready known a method of turning ON either one (1) phase on thenegative electrode side of the switching circuit, while brining thepositive electrode side of the remaining other phases into a PWMoperation; thereby conducting the DC braking.

However, when decelerating or stopping the permanent magnet synchronousmotor through the DC braking, excessive current is generated when it isrotating at high speed, and this results into demagnetization andburning of that motor, or breakage of a switching element(s) of a powerconverter device. Also, if the power converter is provided with aprotection with using an over-current, an output is cut off because ofthat protection, and the permanent magnet synchronous motor is broughtinto a free-run condition; therefore, it is impossible to execute the DCbraking with stability.

In the following Patent Document 1 is disclosed a method of deceleratingthe motor through reversed phase braking, when it is rotating at thehigh speed, so as to detect that the rotation speed reaches to a certainspeed of a low rotation speed, and thereby switching it into the DCbraking.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS Patent Documents

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-374689 (2002).

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

When cutting off the power supply to stop the permanent magnetsynchronous motor, since braking power is determined by magnitude of theaxial load and/or the air resistance, therefore it is impossible toobtain a desired braking power, and thereby brining about a drawbackthat it takes a long time until the stoppage thereof.

When decelerating and stopping the permanent magnet synchronous motorthrough the regenerative braking, it is necessary to provide a controlmeans for decelerating and stopping, separately, and there is alsopossibility of loss of synchronization, in particular, when deceleratingit abruptly. And, in a use thereof within a fan and a pump, etc., thereis also a problem, i.e., necessitating detection or estimation of therotation speed and induction voltage thereof, as well as, provision of aspecial starting means, separately, so as to execute the startingthereof with using of those, in particular, when the permanent magnetsynchronous motor is rotating under the free-run condition.

When decelerating and stopping the permanent magnet synchronous motorthrough the DC braking, in particular, when it is rotating at the highspeed, the excessive current is generated, and this results intodemagnetization and burning of that motor, or breakage of the switchingelement(s) of the power converter device. Also, there is a problem that,if the power converter is provided with the protection with using theover-current, the output is cut off because of that protection, and thatthe permanent magnet synchronous motor is brought into the free-runcondition; therefore, it is impossible to execute the DC braking withstability.

When decelerating and stopping the permanent magnet synchronous motorthrough the reversed phase braking, the braking force is in shortage, inparticular, when it is rotating at the low speed, and then it takes along time until when it is decelerated down to a desired speed and thestoppage thereof. Also, when it is rotating at the high speed, theexcessive current is generated, and this results into demagnetizationand burning of that motor, or breakage of the switching element(s) ofthe power converter device. And also, if the power converter is providedwith the protection with using the over-current, the output is cut offbecause of that protection, and that the permanent magnet synchronousmotor is brought into the free-run condition; i.e., there is a problemthat it is impossible to execute the DC braking with stability.

With the method disclosed in the Patent Document 1 mentioned above,there is a necessity of providing a means for detecting the rotationspeed of the motor.

Thus, an object according to the present invention, for dissolving suchthe problems as mentioned above, is to provide a stopping method forenabling a motor to obtain a stable braking power even when rotating ata high speed, and also to obtain a large braking power even whenrotating at a low speed, without necessity of a rotation speed detectingmeans of the motor or an external braking, as well as, to output adesired stopping torque after stoppage thereof.

For dissolving such the drawbacks as was mentioned above, according tothe present invention, there is provided a power converter device,comprising: a switching circuit, which is configured to convert DC toAC; a PWM controller means, which is configured to control ON or OFF ofsaid switching circuit; a means, which is configured to detect orestimate current flowing through a permanent magnet synchronous motor;and a means, which is configured to execute DC braking of said permanentmagnet synchronous motor, wherein there are provided a DC brakingmaximum current setup value, which is determined from an outside or isdetermined in advance within an inside, and a PWM all-phases cutofffunction and a zero vector output function within said PWM controllermeans, within said PWM controller means, whereby the PWM all-phasescutoff and the zero vector output are repeated within said PWMcontroller means, if a current value, which is obtained by said meansfor detecting or estimating the current, exceeds said DC braking maximumcurrent setup value, when running DC current to the permanent magnetsynchronous motor, so as to execute DC braking for obtaining a brakingpower.

According to the present invention, there can be obtained a powerconverter device for driving a permanent magnet synchronous motor, i.e.,enabling to obtain a stable braking power even when it is rotating at ahigh speed, and/or a large braking power even when it is rotating at alow speed, without necessity of a rotation speed detecting means of themotor or an external brake, as well as, outputting a desired stoppingtorque even after stoppage thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

Those and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more readily apparent from the following detaileddescription when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 is a view for showing the structures of a power converter device,according to an embodiment 1 of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view for showing an example of waveforms of rotation speedand current when executing the DC braking; and

FIG. 3 is a view for showing waveforms of signals, for explaining theoperations of the power converter device according to the embodiment 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will befully explained by referring to the attached drawings.

Embodiment 1

FIG. 1 is a block circuit diagram for showing an embodiment according tothe present invention. AC voltage generating from a AC power source 1 isrectified within a rectifier circuit 2, and it is smoothed by asmoothing circuit 3. DC current smoothed is converted to AC voltagethrough a switching circuit 4, thereby to be applied to a permanentmagnet synchronous motor 9.

A PWM controller means 5 controls ON and OFF of the switching circuit 4,so that random voltage can be applied to the permanent magnetsynchronous motor 9.

A current detector means 6 detects phase current running through thepermanent magnet synchronous motor 9. Or, a shunt resistor may beprovided on a negative electrode side of the smoothing circuit 3, so asto estimate the phase current from the current flowing through thisshunt resistor. A fan 10 is attached onto a shaft of the permanentmagnet synchronous motor 9.

FIG. 2 shows an example of waveforms of rotation number and current whenthe DC braking is taken place. When an output of the switching circuit 4is cut off and the permanent magnet synchronous motor 9 is in the freerun condition, and if the fan 10 is rotated by the air, then thepermanent magnet synchronous motor 9 rotates in the similar manner, andthen induction voltage is generated depending on the rotation speedthereof. When an instruction of the DC braking is given to the PWMcontroller means 5, then the PWM controller means 5 controls theswitching circuit 4 in such a manner that direct current flows into anyone of the phases of the permanent magnet synchronous motor 9, andthereby applying the voltage onto the permanent magnet synchronous motor9. In this instance, current flows through the permanent magnetsynchronous motor 9, depending upon a potential difference between theinduction voltage generating from the permanent magnet synchronous motor9 and the voltage applied. If the potential difference mentioned aboveis large, then current flowing through the permanent magnet synchronousmotor 9 becomes large, as is shown by a broken line in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 is a view for showing waveforms of signals, for explaining theoperations of the present invention. From the current, which is detectedby the current detector means 6 when executing the DC braking, a peakvalue of the current is calculated by a peak-value calculator means 7.This peak value is compared with a DC braking maximum current setupvalue, which is determined from an outside or is determined in advancewithin the power converter device, by means of a current comparatormeans 8, and if the peak value of the current exceeds the DC brakingmaximum current setup value, an instruction of cutting off all phases ofPWM (being called “PWM all-phases cutoff instruction”) is inputted intothe PWM controller means 5.

The PWM controller means 5, upon receipt of the PWM all-phase cutoffinstruction controls the switching circuit 4, in such a manner that itrepeats the following outputs; i.e., a PWM all-phases cutoff output, forcompulsively turning all phases of the switching circuit 4 OFF, and azero vector output, for turning all phases of the positive electrodeside or of the negative electrode side ON while turning all phases ofremaining other electrode side OFF, at an appropriate frequency.

With such the operations as was mentioned above, the current flowingthrough the permanent magnet synchronous motor 9 is suppressed.

The peak value of current, which is calculated from the current detectedby the current detector means 6 within the peak-value calculator means7, is compared with a DC braking return current setup value, which isdetermined from an outside or is determined in advance within the powerconverter device, by means of a current comparator means 8, and if thepeak value of current is equal to or less than the DC braking returncurrent setup value, a DC braking return instruction is inputted intothe PWM controller means 5.

The PWM controller means 5, when the DC braking return instruction isinputted therein, controls the switching circuit 4 so as to repeat theDC braking, again.

With conducting the PWM all-phases cutoff output and the zero vectoroutput and the DC breaking, repetitively, it is possible to obtain astable braking power, with suppressing the current, as is shown by asolid line in FIG. 2.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential feature or characteristicsthereof. The present embodiment(s) is/are therefore to be considered inall respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of theinvention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by theforgoing description and range of equivalency of the claims aretherefore to be embraces therein.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electric power converting apparatus,comprising: a switching circuit, which is configured to invert DC to AC;a PWM controller, which is configured to control ON or OFF of theswitching circuit, thereby conducting PWM all phase shut-off andzero-vector outputting; a unit, which is configured to detect orestimate current flowing through a motor; a unit, which is configured toconduct a DC braking; and a current comparator, which is configured tocompare between a DC braking time maximum current setup value, which isdetermined from outside or is determined from inside in advance, and acurrent value, which is obtained by the unit configured to detect orestimate current, wherein the PWM all phase shut-off and zero-vectoroutputting are conducted, repetitively, by the PWM controller, if thecurrent comparator determines that a current value, which is obtained bythe unit configured to detect or estimate current, exceeds the DCbraking time maximum current setup value, when conducting the DC brakingto obtain a braking power by running current through the motor.
 2. Theelectric power converting apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein thePWM controller controls so as to run DC current flows in accordance withan ordinal DC braking, if the current value, which is obtained by theunit configured to detect or estimate current, is equal or lower thanthe DC braking time maximum current setup value.
 3. The electric powerconverting apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein the current isobtained by detecting phase current flowing through the motor, orestimating phase current from current flowing through a shunt resistor,which is provided in a smoothing circuit, in the unit configured todetect or estimate current.